Neighbors Describe Chaos As Shreveport Father Targets Children In Execution-Style Shootings
A Shreveport man killed eight children in an early-morning shooting that police say began as a domestic dispute. Authorities identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins and said victims ranged in age from about 1 to 14. Police say 10 people were shot in all, including two women, and seven of the slain children were the suspect's own.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said the shootings stretched across three locations, including two homes on the same block and a third elsewhere in the neighborhood. Investigators say the suspect shot a woman in the face at one house about 5 a.m., then went to another residence where most of the children were killed as some tried to flee. Neighbors described a 'full-blown shootout' during a later police confrontation, and one neighbor's camera captured the gunman running and two shots, later showing a child's covered body on a roof. Officials say the suspect carjacked a vehicle fleeing the scene, led officers into Bossier City and was fatally shot after an exchange of gunfire; no officers were injured, state police said. Louisiana State Police detectives have been asked to probe the officer-involved shooting, and investigators have asked the public to submit photos and video. Reports say Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020.
Early reports framed the tragedy as a mass shooting, emphasizing casualty totals without full family details. Later coverage, led by CBS News and NPR, described the killings as "execution-style" and reported that seven of the eight children were the suspect's own, deepening the domestic-violence framing. That shift changed how officials and the public understood motive and scope, moving the story from a community massacre toward a family-centered domestic tragedy.
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This story is compiled from 15 sources using AI-assisted curation and analysis. Original reporting is attributed below. Learn about our methodology.
📌 Key Facts
- The shootings occurred in Shreveport, Louisiana, and police have characterized the incident as a domestic-violence mass shooting in which 10 people were shot and eight children were killed; victims' ages ranged from about 1 to 14.
- Authorities say seven of the eight slain children were the suspect's own; one of the two adult women shot was identified as the suspect's wife and the mother of seven of the children.
- Police say the attack began at one home (around 5 a.m., where a woman was shot in the face) and then moved to a second residence where most of the children were killed; officers and officials described the killings as "execution-style," and some children were reportedly targeted as they tried to flee through a window or back door.
- Neighbors and witnesses described chaotic scenes — sirens, a barrage of gunfire and what some called a "full‑blown shootout" — and a neighbor's security camera reportedly captured the gunman running and later showed a child's covered body on a roof.
- Police publicly identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins; investigators and media reported he served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020.
- After the shootings the suspect allegedly carjacked a vehicle about half a block from the original scene and fled; a pursuit continued into Bossier City/Bossier Parish, where officers exchanged gunfire and fatally shot the suspect.
- Louisiana State Police detectives have been asked to investigate the officer‑involved shooting; officials said no officers were injured and urged the public to submit photos or video from the scenes.
- The crime scene encompassed multiple locations (reported as three sites, including two homes on the same block and a third nearby); local officials — including Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith, Cpl. Chris Bordelon and Mayor Tom Arceneaux — held a public briefing, the coroner had not released victims' names, and officials called the incident an extreme local tragedy (noted by some outlets as the deadliest U.S. mass shooting since January 2024).
📰 Source Timeline (15)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 20, 2026
2:43 PM
Neighbors recall "full-blown shootout" as father targeted kids in shooting
New information:
- Neighbors Jacob and Tiffany Castleman describe hearing sirens, a barrage of gunfire and what they call a 'full-blown shootout' behind their home during the police confrontation with suspect Shamar Elkins.
- Neighbor Liza Demming says her security camera captured the gunman running from the house and two shots, and she later saw a child's covered body on the roof.
- Daycare owner Lashuan Berry, who knew the family, characterizes Elkins as having 'no soul' and 'dead behind the eyes,' while another neighbor, Fred Montgomery, says the family life had appeared normal the night before.
- A relative tells AP that Elkins and his wife had been arguing over their separation ahead of a Monday court appearance, offering more detail on the domestic dispute context.
- Police reiterate that Elkins first shot one woman in the face around 5 a.m., then went to another residence where he shot the eight children and a second woman, targeting victims as they tried to escape through a window.
1:57 PM
Man killed 8 children in "execution-style" shooting, police says
New information:
- CBS segment explicitly notes that suspect Shamar Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020.
- The piece reiterates that officials characterize the shootings as beginning as a domestic dispute before becoming a mass shooting.
1:12 PM
8 children killed in tragic mass shooting linked to domestic dispute
New information:
- Police publicly described the Shreveport killings as an 'execution-style' mass shooting.
- CBS segment reinforces that eight victims were children and that the shootings are being framed as a domestic dispute.
- Law-enforcement commentary on national TV underscores the case as a particularly extreme example of domestic mass violence.
12:22 PM
Man kills 8 children, including 7 of his own, in Louisiana mass shooting, police say
New information:
- Police publicly identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins.
- Investigators said seven of the eight slain children were Elkins' own kids, clarifying prior general family-relationship descriptions.
- CBS framed the suspect's death explicitly as occurring in an exchange of gunfire with officers after the incident.
10:30 AM
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New information:
- NPR reiterates Shreveport police’s account that a gunman killed eight children and wounded two women in northwest Louisiana in a domestic disturbance.
- The newsletter notes that police believe the adult male suspect was the father of seven of the children killed and that one of the women shot was his wife and the mother of seven of the children.
- NPR confirms again that the suspect is dead, aligning with earlier reports of his death after a police pursuit.
April 19, 2026
9:16 PM
8 children killed in Louisiana shooting, police say
New information:
- Confirms attack began at one home where a woman was shot, then moved to a second home where most children were killed.
- Adds witness account from neighbor Liza Demming, whose camera captured the suspect running and who saw a child's body on the roof.
- Provides detail that some children tried to escape out a back door, according to State Rep. Tammy Phelps.
- Clarifies that the Caddo Parish Coroner has not yet released victims' names as identifications are pending.
- Specifies that Louisiana State Police detectives were asked to investigate the officer-involved shooting in Bossier City and that no officers were injured.
- Notes this is the deadliest U.S. mass shooting since an eight-fatality incident in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, per an AP/USA Today/Northeastern database.
8:24 PM
Louisiana officials speak after 8 children and teens killed in shooting
New information:
- CBS carried a live briefing where Louisiana officials publicly confirmed that eight victims were children and teens.
- Officials again emphasized that police view the incident as domestic in nature.
6:00 PM
Eight Children Killed in Louisiana Shooting
New information:
- Wall Street Journal confirms the suspect carjacked a vehicle while fleeing before being killed by officers.
- Article explicitly characterizes the incident as taking place during a domestic dispute, consistent with but independently corroborating earlier police framing.
- Provides a succinct official description that the man 'opened fire' before fleeing, reinforcing the basic sequence of events.
5:56 PM
Police give early update on Shreveport, Louisiana mass shooting
New information:
- Confirms that officials held a Sunday afternoon press conference on the case.
- Identifies specific briefing participants: Corporal Chris Bordelon, Mayor Tom Arceneaux and Police Chief Wayne Smith.
- Reiterates that police are describing the incident as a domestic disturbance in which 10 people were shot and eight children died.
5:33 PM
8 children dead in mass shooting that began as domestic dispute, police say
New information:
- Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said the victims ranged in age from about 1 to 14 and confirmed a total of 10 people were shot, including two adults.
- Bordelon said the suspect stole a car at gunpoint about a half block from the original scene before the fatal police shootout in Bossier Parish.
- Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it 'maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had' and noted Shreveport has about 180,000 residents.
- Louisiana State Police specified that no officers were injured in the shootout and asked the public to submit photos or video to detectives.
5:26 PM
Eight children killed in a shooting in Louisiana, police say
New information:
- NPR confirms the age range of the slain children as between 1 and 14 years old.
- Police spokesman Cpl. Christopher Bordelon says some of the children were the suspect's descendants.
- NPR explicitly describes the episode as stemming from a domestic disturbance and identifies the suspect as an adult male.
- NPR reiterates that Louisiana State Police are investigating the officer-involved shooting after the car chase.
4:41 PM
8 children killed in mass shooting in Louisiana, police say
New information:
- Confirms eight victims were children and teens and that the suspected shooter is also dead.
- Specifies that the shootings occurred at multiple locations, including two residences on the same block and a third elsewhere in the neighborhood.
- Reaffirms Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith as the official briefing source at a news conference.
4:19 PM
8 Children Killed in Louisiana Domestic Violence Shooting, Police Say
New information:
- Confirms the shooting occurred in Shreveport, Louisiana, rather than only generically in the state.
- Characterizes the incident explicitly as a domestic violence shooting, aligning with police framing in more detail.
- Adds New York Times as an additional corroborating national outlet covering the same event.
4:10 PM
Police say 8 children killed in Louisiana mass shooting
New information:
- Police say a total of 10 people were shot in the incident, with eight children killed.
- Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said the crime scene extends across three locations in the city.
- The suspected shooter was fatally shot by police during a vehicle pursuit that continued into Bossier City.
- Victims range in age from about 1 to 14 years old, and some of the children were related to the suspect.
- Louisiana State Police detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate the officer-involved shooting, and no officers were injured.